Eugène Lourié

Eugène Lourié
Евгений Лурье
Born
Yevgeny Lure

8 April 1903
Kharkov, Kharkovsky Uyezd, Kharkov Governorate, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)
Died26 May 1991(1991-05-26) (aged 88)
Los Angeles, California, US
Other namesEugene Lourié[a]
Douy Lourié[2]
Gene Lourie
Occupations
  • Production designer
  • director
  • screenwriter
  • special effects artist
  • set decorator
Years active1927–1983
Spouse
Laure Lourié
​
(m. 1940)​
RelativesManuel Ortíz de Zárate (father-in-law)

Eugène Lourié (Russian: Евгений Лурье, romanized: Yevgeniy Lur'ye; né Yevgeny Lure; 8 April 1903 – 26 May 1991) was a Russian-French filmmaker active in interwar France and postwar Hollywood. Lourié worked primarily as an art director as well as a production designer, costume designer, director, special effects director, screenwriter and actor. In 2011, Lourié was posthumously entered into the Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame.

Early years

Yevgeny Lure was born on 8 April 1903 in Kharkov, Kharkovsky Uyezd (present-day Kharkiv, Ukraine) to Russian Jewish parents.[3][4] His first experience with cinema was in 1911 when a movie theater opened in Kharkov. In 1919, during the Russian Civil War, he worked on an anti-communist film titled Black Crowes.

After he fled from the Soviet Union, he made his way to Istanbul. While there he made money for a fare to Paris, by painting and drawing movie posters. He even slept in the theater on top of a piano to save money.[5]

Career

Art director and production designer

In the 1930s, he worked as a production designer for such directors as Jean Renoir, Max Ophüls, and René Clair.[5] As an assistant and production designer to Renoir, he worked on such French films as La Grande illusion and La Règle du Jeu.[6] After Renoir had moved to Hollywood in the early 1940s, Lourié moved as well, and worked with other directors including Sam Fuller, Charlie Chaplin, and Robert Siodmak.[7]

Science-fiction and special effects

In 1952, he made his directorial debut with The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, the first of three dinosaur films that Lourié would direct.[5][8] The film was profitable,[6] but Lourié has said that he regrets that the film typecast him as a science fiction director.[5] He decided that after his 1961 film, Gorgo, which he directed in 1959, he would stop directing movies because he did not want to direct "the same comic-strip monsters."[6]

Eight years later, he received an Academy Award nomination for his visual effects on Krakatoa, East of Java.[9] Lourié makes a silent cameo appearance in the film, portraying a lighthouse keeper on the coast of Java in 1883 who observes Krakatoa's final, cataclysmic explosion and enters the lighthouse to send news of it by telegraph.[10]

He also contributed special and visual effects to Flight from Ashiya (1964) and Crack in the World (1965).

Return to art department

Throughout the 1970s, Lourié worked on TV shows like Kung Fu, The Delphi Bureau, and The Brian Keith Show. His last directorial credit was as a second unit director for the pilot episode of the notoriously-troubled Supertrain.

In 1980, Lourié designed Clint Eastwood's Bronco Billy, his last feature film credit as an art director.

Lourié had a small acting part in Richard Gere's 1983 picture Breathless, a remake of the French New Wave classic of the same name.[5] He also appeared on an episode of Tales of the Unexpected.

Personal life

On 28 December 1940[b], Lourié married Laure Lourié, a French costume designer, in Bormes-les-Mimosas.[12] Lourié was the son-in-law of the Chilean painter Manuel Ortíz de Zárate and the polish painter Jadwiga Piechowska[c] (1885–1944).[11]

Death

Lourié died on 26 May 1991 of a stroke while in the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.[13]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1927 The Chess Player Costume designer [14]
1929 Cagliostro Costume designer [15]
1932 A Telephone Call Set designer With Pierre Schild and Lazare Meerson [16]
Pan!... Pan!... Set designer Short film directed by Georges Lacombe [17]
1934 Jeanne
The Bread Peddler Set designer [18]
Madame Bovary Art director With Robert Gys and Georges Wakhévitch [19]
Le Bossu Set designer Directed by René Sti [20]
1935 Dark Eyes Set designer With Serge Piménoff [21]
The Squadron's Baby Set designer [22]
Baccara Set designer [23]
La Petite Sauvage Set designer [24]
1936 The Great Refrain Art director [25]
The Lower Depths Art director With Hugues Laurent [26]
Under Western Eyes Set designer [27]
Adventure in Paris Set designer [28]
1937 La Grande Illusion Art director [29]
The Alibi Set designer With Serge Piménoff [30]
The Messenger Set designer With Jean Laffitte [31]
Nights of Fire Set designer With Guy de Gastyne [32]
1938 Rasputin Set designer With Guy de Gastyne [33]
The Novel of Werther Art director [34]
Ramuntcho Set designer [35]
The Lafarge Case Art director [36]
The New Rich Set designer With Jacques Colombier [37]
La Bête Humaine Art director [38]
Le Paradis de Satan Set designer [39]
1939 There's No Tomorrow Art director With Max Douy. Credited as Douy Lourié [2][40]
The Rules of the Game Art director With Max Douy. Credited as Douy Lourié [41][42]
1940 Cristobal's Gold Art director [43]
False Alarm Set designer With Émile Duquesne [44]
1943 Sahara Associate art director [45]
This Land Is Mine Associate producer, production designer [46]
1944 The Impostor Art Director With John B. Goodman [47]
The House of Fear Art Director With John B. Goodman [48]
In Society Art Director With John B. Goodman [49]
Three Russian Girls Art Director With John B. Goodman [50]
1947 The Long Night Production designer [51]
1951 Adventures of Captain Fabian Set designer With Max Douy and J. Allen [52][53]
Limelight Art director [54]
The River Production designer [55]
1953 The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Director [56][57]
The Diamond Queen Production designer [58]
1954 So This Is Paris Art director With Alexander Golitzen [59]
1955 Napoléon Battle scenes [60]
1956 If Paris Were Told to Us Assistant Director [61]
1958 The Colossus of New York Director [62]
Revolt in the Big House Screenwriter With Daniel Hyatt [63]
1959 The Giant Behemoth Director With Douglas Hickox [64]
1961 Gorgo Director Orignal story by Lourié and Daniel Hyatt [65]
1962 Confessions of an Opium Eater Art director [66]
1963 Shock Corridor Art director [67]
1964 Flight from Ashiya Production designer [68][69]
The Strangler Art director With Hal Pereira [70]
The Naked Kiss Art director [71][72]
1965 Crack in the World Art director [68][73]
Battle of the Bulge Art director [74][75]
1967 Bikini Paradise Art director [76]
Custer of the West Art director With Jean d'Eaubonne and Julio Molina [77]
1968 Krakatoa, East of Java Production designer, special effects director [68][78][79]
1969 The Royal Hunt of the Sun Art director [80][81]
1971 What's the Matter with Helen? Art director [82]
1976 Burnt Offerings Production designer [83]
1978 An Enemy of the People Production designer [84]
1980 Bronco Billy Art director [85]

Acting

Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1983 Breathless Dr. Boudreaux [86][87]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1952 Invitation Playhouse Art director [88]
1954 Cross Current Director Episode: "Necklace" [89]
1973 Kung Fu Art director Episode: "The Elixir". Credited as Gene Lourié [90]
1978 The Return of Captain Nemo Art director With Duane Alt [91]

Nominations

Award Year Category Nominated work Result Notes Ref(s)
Academy Awards 1970 Best Special Visual Effects Krakatoa, East of Java Nominated With Alex Weldon [9]

See also

  • Art Directors Guild Hall of Fame

Notes

  1. ^ Credited as Eugene Lourié by the American Film Institute catalogue.[1]
  2. ^ Also cited as 1941.[11]
  3. ^ Francized as Edwige Piechowska

References

  1. ^ "Eugene Lourié". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Sans lendemain". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  3. ^ "Eugene Lourie dies, art director was 88". The Hour. 30 May 1991. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  4. ^ "Eugene Lourie, No 513422". Petitions for Naturalization, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Los Angeles), 1940–1991. Washington, D.C.: National Archives. 1942.
  5. ^ a b c d e Weaver, Tom (19 February 2003). Double Feature Creature Attack: A Monster Merger of Two More Volumes of Classic Interviews. McFarland. p. 202. ISBN 0-7864-1366-2.
  6. ^ a b c Hunter, I. Q. (1999). British Science Fiction Cinema. Taylor & Francis. p. 89. ISBN 0-415-16868-6.
  7. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Eugène Lourié > Overview - AllMovie". Allmovie. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  8. ^ "Gary Westfahl's Bio-Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Film: Eugene Lourie". www.sfsite.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2004. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  9. ^ a b "The 42nd Academy Awards". Oscars. Beverly Hills, California: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  10. ^ Model Ships in the Cinema: Krakatoa, East of Java, 1969, caption of photo of lighthouse keeper operating telegraph.
  11. ^ a b "LAURE DE ZARATE LOURIÉ". Le Monde (in French). Paris, France. 10 February 2001. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  12. ^ "Laura Lourie, No 513440". Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1/19/1842 – 10/29/1959; US District Court for the Southern District of New York; (Roll 644) Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1842–1959 (No 512901–513900). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The National Archives at Philadelphia. 1942.
  13. ^ "Eugene Lourié, film art director for half-century". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 30 May 1991. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  14. ^ "Le Joueur d'échecs". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  15. ^ "Cagliostro". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Un coup de téléphone". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  17. ^ "Pan!... Pan!..." Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  18. ^ "La Porteuse de pain". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  19. ^ "Madame Bovary". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  20. ^ "Le Bossu". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  21. ^ "Les Yeux noirs". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  22. ^ "Le Bébé de l'escadron". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  23. ^ "Baccara". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  24. ^ "La Petite Sauvage". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  25. ^ "Le grand refrain". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  26. ^ "Les bas-fonds". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  27. ^ "Sous les yeux d'Occident (Razumov)". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  28. ^ "Aventure à Paris". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  29. ^ "La Grande Illusion". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  30. ^ "L'Alibi". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  31. ^ "Le Messager". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  32. ^ "Nuits de feu". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  33. ^ "La Tragédie impériale". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  34. ^ "Le Roman de Werther". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  35. ^ "Ramuntcho". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  36. ^ "L'Affaire Lafarge". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  37. ^ "Les Nouveaux Riches". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  38. ^ "La Bête humaine". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  39. ^ "Le Paradis de Satan". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  40. ^ "Sans lendemain". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  41. ^ "La Règle du jeu". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  42. ^ "La Règle du jeu". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  43. ^ "L'or du Cristobal". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  44. ^ "Une fausse alerte". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  45. ^ "Sahara". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  46. ^ "This Land Is Mine". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  47. ^ "The Impostor". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  48. ^ "The House of Fear". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  49. ^ "In Society". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  50. ^ "Three Russian Girls". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  51. ^ "The Long Night". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  52. ^ "La Taverne de New Orleans". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  53. ^ "La Taverne de la Nouvelle-Orléans". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  54. ^ "Limelight". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  55. ^ "The River". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  56. ^ "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  57. ^ "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  58. ^ "The Diamond Queen". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  59. ^ "So This Is Paris". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  60. ^ "Napoléon". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  61. ^ "Si Paris nous était conté". Unifrance (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  62. ^ "The Colossus of New York". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  63. ^ "Revolt in the Big House". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  64. ^ "Behemoth the Sea Monster". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  65. ^ "Gorgo". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  66. ^ "Confessions of an Opium Eater". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  67. ^ "Shock Corridor". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  68. ^ a b c Model Ships in the Cinema: Krakatoa, East of Java, 1969, including quotes from Lourié, Eugene, My Work in Films, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985 ISBN 0-15-662342-0.
  69. ^ "Flight From Ashiya (1964)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  70. ^ "The Strangler". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  71. ^ "The Naked Kiss (1964)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  72. ^ "The Naked Kiss". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  73. ^ "Crack in the World". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  74. ^ "Battle of the Bulge (1965)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  75. ^ "Battle of the Bulge". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  76. ^ "Bikini Paradise". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  77. ^ "Custer of the West". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  78. ^ "Krakatoa, East of Java (1969)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  79. ^ "Krakatoa, East of Java". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  80. ^ "The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1969)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  81. ^ "The Royal Hunt of the Sun". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  82. ^ "What's the Matter with Helen?". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  83. ^ "Burnt Offerings". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  84. ^ "An Enemy of the People". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  85. ^ "Bronco Billy". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  86. ^ "Breathless (1983)". AFI CATALOG. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  87. ^ "Breathless". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  88. ^ "Happiness". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  89. ^ "Necklace". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  90. ^ "The Elixir". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  91. ^ "The Amazing Captain Nemo". BFI Collections Search. London: British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
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